


Ties that Bind

by Daegaer



Category: Weiss Kreuz - Fandom
Genre: Assassins & Hitmen, Emotional Manipulation, M/M, Male Friendship, Mind Manipulation, Psychic Abilities, Team Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-15
Updated: 2008-02-15
Packaged: 2019-07-06 11:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15884820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer
Summary: After Koua, Nagi agrees to meet Schuldig.





	Ties that Bind

Schuldig was in the middle of it, as always. Every time any of Schwarz thought they'd disentangled themselves Schuldig would give a quick tug on his strings and reel them back in. Like a spider, Nagi thought, sitting in his web. The gaudy type of spider that didn't mind advertising its venom.

_Oh_ that's _polite. Maybe I should bite you._

_Won_ derful. When you didn't want him to turn up early - Nagi turned round and met Schuldig's gaze.

"What do you want?"

Schuldig shrugged, too casual. Like he hadn't interfered in Nagi's affairs.

"I thought I'd reel you back in."

 

*

 

Nagi'd grown up nicely, his face no longer childish, his shoulders broadening. He was taking an interest in clothes too, which was amusing. Maybe Takatori dressed him up like a sulky doll. Schuldig did his best not to laugh at the thought. Whether it was Takatori's dress sense or Nagi's, the dark greys looked good on him, the boots adding just the right amount of totalitarian chic.

"Come on, Nagi. Can't an old pal drop by for a talk after a hard day at the office?"

"I didn't need you at Koua."

Schuldig did laugh then. Bait taken, it seemed.

 

*

 

"I could have handled everything," Nagi said, sighing as Schuldig ordered ridiculous flavoured coffees with mountains of cream for both of them.

"Brad thought otherwise. You know how he gets, all futurey."

"I'm not a kid." It was always the wrong thing to say around Schuldig, who delighted in his demonic childishness.

"I thought I was a spider?" Schuldig said, wide-eyed, innocent.

"Oh, fuck off." Nagi was absolutely not going to smile. "I was doing OK. You and Crawford didn't have to get yourselves roughed up. You're getting old, you two."

"Eh? What's that, sonny?"

Nagi let the smile come.

 

*

 

For all his growth spurt and sudden interest in personal hygiene, Nagi was still a kid. He could still be moulded, still reminded who his _real_ friends were.

Schwarz gave up nothing. Certainly not to the littlest Takatori. Crawford'd been insistent that Nagi should be brought back to the Dark Side. Schuldig considered saying that aloud. Nagi might laugh. Later, he decided. When the kid's guard was further down and everyone's favourite spider could creep through the cracks.

"Let me buy dinner," he said. "Us henchmen have to stick together."

He could see the thought percolating its way down. Excellent.

 

*

 

"I'm no one's henchman," Nagi said over dessert.

Schuldig shrugged, like he wouldn't embarrass either of them by disagreeing.

"I'm _not_."

"Fair enough."

Nagi sipped his brandy, hiding his irritation.

"Takatori says I could be his chief of security." Schuldig looked polite. "I could be second-in-command of Kritiker."

"Second-in-command? Sounds . . . good. I guess."

Nagi drained the glass, signalled the waiter for a refill. "I'm not his damn henchman."

"If you say so."

"Mamoru blew me last night." It wasn't anything he'd meant to say, but he was tired of Schuldig's studied casual air.

Schuldig's grin was far too sharp.

 

*

 

It was hilarious, how little encouragement Nagi needed to give details. Then more details, and more on top of those. The tip of his nose was pink, and he was more bright-eyed and talkative than a few glasses of wine and brandy could account for, given that Nagi's metabolism ran as high as his own. It was cute. It almost made Schuldig feel sorry for what he was going to do.

"OK, I see he's not your boss," he said. Nagi nodded, clearly pleased poor dim-witted Schuldig had _finally_ got it. "He's your boyfriend."

The pole-axed look was remarkably satisfying.

 

*

 

"No, see --" Nagi started again.

"Hey, it's cool," Schuldig said. "Not _my_ business."

Schuldig had _never_ called what was between him and Crawford anything, as far as Nagi knew. "Boyfriend" sounded stupid and childish. And not right, because -- He didn't want to think about it. He just didn't want Schuldig going back to Crawford with something so embarrassing, like he was some hormonal kid who couldn't be let walk down the street without falling in --

Fuck.

"Don't sweat it," Schuldig said, not unkindly. "Come to my hotel and have a real drink."

Anything to claw back the last minutes. Anything.

 

*

 

It only took little mental pushes and a large whiskey to get Nagi ready to prove he'd been paying attention during Crawford's _No emotional entanglements with potential targets_ talks. From the way he leaned into the kiss it seemed he remembered the _Schwarz are always safe_ talks too.

By the time they were curled together sleepily he was ready to laugh at Takatori as a fool ripe for manipulation.

Such a weakness, love, Schuldig mused, holding Nagi fondly as he slept. Ah well. What worked, worked.

Now he just had to plan to get Farfarello back into the web too.


End file.
